New Boy
by falsilucidae
Summary: Clary goes to an arts school where she is perfectly content not fitting in. Jace is the silent new boy with the battered black notebook and the golden hair. What happens when they meet? Better than the summary, first fic, please read! M because I have no idea where this story will end up.
1. Chapter 1

**So this story is just a basic highschool love story using some of my favorite characters. It will be mostly third person, with occasional entries to "Norman", Clary's diary. Below is her first entry. Reviews of course are appreciated, and this is my first fanfic, so I'd love to know if I should even continue with this... **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or concepts from The Mortal Instruments, the credit for those of course go to the amazing Cassandra Clare.**

******I hope you enjoy it. c:**

I guess you could say I'm kind of a nerd. Not like "we come in peace", Star Trek junkie nerd, just...dorky. I don't fit in with the popular crowd and I don't want to. My friends and I observe them from a distance, and as most teenagers would, we judge them. They're not the typical super preppy, sports playing, awesome car driving popular kids. Actually, most of them are dancers or drama kids. You see, I go to an arts school. I'm in my third year here, and I really love it. I have amazing teachers, great friends, and maybe my love life is a little lacking, but I have this weird feeling that might change soon. My best friends, Izzy and Simon recently started dating and while it may be a little weird, they're happy, so I'm okay with it. Oh and by the way, I'm Clary. My name is actually Clarissa, but I prefer Clary. I guess this is where I should include a description about myself. I'm short. Slightly more than 5 feet and it doesn't look like I'm getting any taller. I have deep red psycho curls, green eyes, pale skin and loads of freckles. A lot of people say I look like my mom, but other than the hair and eyes, I don't see it. For one, she's beautiful, and I'm...me, some kind of freakish pixie thing or something. At this point you probably know more about me than you want to, so I'm going to get to the point. My english teacher thinks it's a good idea for us to record what happens to us in a private journal, to improve our writing skills and what not. So you're my new friend. Even though you don't exist...I should give you a name. Maybe Norman or something. Yeah, I like the sound of that. Alright Norman, let's get to it. School is about three months in. There isn't really anything exciting going on in my life right now, except maybe my mom's new boyfriend Luke, who seems like a really nice guy. Oh wait, there is something that happened today. There's a new student in our grade, a guy. He stayed at the back of the class with his head down so I didn't get a good look at his face, but being an artist, I couldn't help but notice the amazing shades of gold in his shaggy, wavy hair, or his hands, and his long, thin fingers, always clutched around a battered black notebook. Anyway, now that I've officially made myself sound like a creeper, I'm going to go shower and go to bed. I have a trig test tomorrow that I think I'm pretty prepared for, but I still want to get a good night of sleep. So Norman, sweet dreams buddy.

**Sorry if it was too short or terrible or something like that. I have quite a few ideas for this story, so please don't be afraid to let me know whether I should continue or not. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

** I'm so happy you guys seem to like it! I really hope you guys like this chapter. I know it's still kind of short, but I wanted to get it up today. Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or concepts from The Mortal Instruments, credit goes to Cassandra Clare.**

**I hope you like it! :D**

Clary woke the next morning to the screaming of a thousand demons. Also known as her alarm clock. She groaned and pulled herself out of bed, practically crawling to the closet where she pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She dragged a brush through her wild curls and decided that this was as good as it was going to get. She pulled on a black hoodie and her combat boots and grabbed her leather messenger bag before heading downstairs. Her mother was already at the kitchen table with a mug of tea, a book propped open against the fruit bowl in front of her. Her mother had been reading even more than usual, ever since she started dating Luke, who owned a used book store. Her younger brother Johnathan was also at the table, his silver blonde head bent over a bowl of cereal, his only concern the motion of spoon to bowl to mouth. Clary put two slices of bread in the toaster and pulled out the butter as she waited for her breakfast. When the toaster popped she buttered her toast and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She sat down at the table and waited for her mother to initiate the imminent breakfast table chatter.  
"How did you sleep?" her mother asked, her eyes never moving from her book.  
"Fine. You?" Clary answered. She always tried to keep her answers brief, in an effort to keep the small talk to a minimum. She loved her mom, but at that time in the morning, she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.  
When she finished eating she ran upstairs to brush her teeth. When she finished she kissed her mother on the cheek before leaving to catch the bus.  
The bus ride was uneventful, Clary listened to her iPod and sketched until the bus reached the school. She went to her locker and got her books before going to her first period class.  
There at the back of the class, was the new boy. Overcome with curiosity, and feeling unusually brave, Clary walked to where he was sitting and plopped down in the desk next to him. Unfortunately, as she sat down, her bag caught on the corner of the desk and the contents of her bag spilled all over the floor. Her sketch book fell open, and her pencil case went sliding across the class.  
The boy looked up at the commotion and Clary got her first good look at his face. He was drop dead gorgeous. He had gold eyes that seemed to shimmer, and chiseled features, the kind you saw on Greek statues. He had full, kind of pouty lips, with a perfect cupids bow. Clary was so mesmerized by those eyes that she completely forgot how to function like a normal human being, so she sat there and stared until he broke the silence.  
"Um are you alright?" he asked, and Clary was taken off guard by how deep and smooth his voice was.  
"Yeah...I'm fine, it was just my...that thing that you know...holds stuff." Clary said, visibly flustered.  
"You mean your bag?..." he asked slowly.  
"Yeah. That thing...so anyway, I'm Clary. I just thought I'd introduce myself. I'm obviously an expert in making good first impressions."  
"Obviously. I'm Jace." he replied. The name suited him. Jace, the golden boy. He leaned down and Clary jumped, startled by his quick movement. He picked up her sketch book and began flipping through it, holding a finger up to silence a protesting Clary.  
"These are incredible." he finally said, and she breathed a sigh of relief, for some reason she had worried he would hate her art.  
"Thanks, that means a lot. So what are you in for? Jeez I just made school sound like some kind of prison. Oh no wait, that's exactly right." said Clary.  
"I sing, and play the guitar and piano. This notebook," he said, lifting up the obviously well loved book, "is where I uh...I write my songs." he looked down, as of embarrassed by his own honesty. Clary was about to say something when the teacher and several students walked in. Clary spotted Izzy, also a visual arts student and waved her over.  
Izzy sat down and introduced herself to Jace. Clary couldn't help but be jealous of her best friend. Isabelle was beautiful, built tall and slim like a model, with long, raven hair. She looked like a dancer but was far too mature to want anything to do with the "popular kids" and felt much more comfortable with Clary and Simon. But Clary, short and slim, always felt even smaller around Izzy. However, Jace only glanced up quickly to see who was addressing him, then quickly returned his eyes to the desk. Clary noticed and wondered why Jace wasn't drooling over Izzy like most boys tended to.  
Before Clary could think about it any further the teacher called their attention to the front of the class. She had written their new assignment on the board and Clary quickly skimmed over it. The assignment was to learn about a partner that the teacher would assign and write a biography about them. It seemed interesting enough, but Clary was worried that she would get a partner slightly more interesting than a block of wood. The teacher started reading out the pairings and Clary held her breath as she neared the f's.  
"Clary Fray, you're partnered with Jace Herondale."

**I hope you liked it, let me know if you have any suggestions, questions or opinions. Thanks for reading! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**So this chapter is a bit longer but I've decided that instead of writing really long chapters I'm just going to update often. Reviews are always appreciated. **

**Disclaimer****: I do not own The Mortal Instruments or The Kooks' lyrics or Iron Man.**

"So I guess we'll be getting to know each other quite well." said Clary, turning to Jace.

"I guess so." he replied, smiling slightly. Clary's heart jumped a little at his smirk, but she quickly dismissed it. She

turned back to the front where the teacher was explaining that the biographies would be done one at a time, rather

than both at the same time, and that the partners should spend the rest of the class picking who would go first and

then trading basic facts about themselves.

Clary and Jace decided that Jace would write his biography on Clary first, as she had lived in the town all her life and

could help Jace to get more familiar with his surroundings. They chatted about simple things, like taste in music,

which they found to be very similar, favorite foods and colors and so on. Clary was surprised at how comfortable

she felt around Jace and she loved hearing him laugh. They laughed quite often, as they also found they shared a

sarcastic sense of humor. When the bell rang, Clary took her time gathering her things and noticed that Jace did

too.

"Would you like to sit with my friends and me at lunch today? And if you want, I can show you where your next class

is." she asked hesitantly, trying not to sound as eager as she felt.

"That sounds great, thanks." he replied. Clary took his schedule and discovered that they shared three classes in

total, including the next class, math. They walked together, and while they didn't speak, Clary noticed that the

silence wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and easy. They took their seats and waited for class to begin.

They suffered through math, which neither of them enjoyed and then made their way to the cafeteria. Clary spotted

Izzy and Simon already sitting at a table and led Jace over to them. Simon shook his dark hair off his forehead and

adjusted his glasses. He had been friends with Clary since they were very young and she thought of him as a

brother. She introduced Jace to Simon and then left to buy her lunch. Upon her return, she found the three chatting

about Jace's music and Clary noted how uncomfortable he seemed. She quickly changed the subject to the

deteriorating quality of the caf food and Jace looked over at her and smiled in silent relief and thanks.

After lunch they parted, and Clary went to her art class. She was working on a large painting of a beach and she

wanted the waves to be perfect. She got out her favorite paint set and went to work. After a while she stopped to

put her headphones in and listened to The Kooks while she continued to add color and dimension to the waves. Her

favorite song by them came on and she laughed quietly to herself because it was called Seaside. She hummed and

swayed slightly to the music while she painted, completely in her own world.

_Do you want to go to the seaside?_

_I'm not trying to say that everybody wants to go, _

_I fell in love at the seaside,_

_I handled my charm with time and slight of hand._

_Do you want to go to the seaside?_

_I'm not trying to say that everybody wants to go,_

_I fell in love at the seaside, _

_She handled her charm with time and slight of hand._

_But I'm just trying to love you,_

_In any kind of way._

_But I find it hard to love you girl,_

_When you're far away,_

_Away._

_Do you want to go to the seaside?_

_I'm not trying to say that everyone wants to go,_

_But I fell in love on the seaside,_

_On the seaside,_

_In the seaside._

She loved the way the singer rolled the lyrics off his tongue, his British accent slurring the words slightly. She got a

lot done during that class and was proud of her progress on the piece. She cleaner her work space and walked to

her last class of the day which she shared with Jace. For some reason her mind kept wandering to him. She couldn't

seem to get him out of her head. She shook it off as nothing and continued on her way to fourth period. Jace was

already seated, in the back of the class. Clary sat beside him and this time managed to do it without sending her

belongings flying. Jace had his notebook open and was writing in it. Clary couldn't make out the words, but noticed

that his writing was elegant, unlike most guy's writing. She watched as he finished what he was writing and smiled

when he looked up at her. He smiled back and put the notebook away.

"So how was your third period class?" she asked, trying to ignore the butterflies his smile had set loose in her belly.

"It was great, I just got to sit there and play guitar, no distractions or interruptions." he replied.

"Yeah all the arts teachers are really great, they just kind of let you do your own thing most of the time. So um, I

was wondering," she started, not really sure how to pose her question, "do you want to come to my house after

school so we can start on the project? Unless you have stuff to do...which I totally understand, or if you just don't

want to come, I understand that too...so just..you know...stop my rambling any time here."

"That sounds good." Clary still looked embarrassed and doubtful so he continued, "I'd love to come over. I have to

go home to talk to my dad real quick, but after that I'll be free for the rest of the evening. Here," he said, reaching

for her phone, "I'll put my number in and you can put yours in mine. I'll text you when I'm done with my dad and you

can give me your address okay?"

"Okay." she replied, internally giddy at his response, though she wasn't sure why. At that moment the teacher

finished with whatever lesson she had been giving and wrote the homework on the board. Clary quickly jotted it

down and put away her notebook as the bell rang.

"I'll text you okay?" said Jace as he walked out the door.

Clary just nodded in response. She went home and finished what little homework she had quickly, constantly

checking her phone to see if Jace has texted. She finally admitted to herself that she was really starting to like him,

even though she didn't know much about him. Sure, he was attractive, but it was something more than that,

something she couldn't put her finger on. She finally got a text from Jace and she replied with her address. She had

about twenty minutes before he got there so she went to change into comfy clothes, pulling her hair up into a

messy bun and putting on her sweat pants and a soft sweater. She popped some popcorn and was just setting on

the table in the living room when the doorbell rang. She ran to the door and almost fell as she yanked it open,

earning a chuckle from Jace. She straightened and immediately felt like a slob in her "comfy clothes". But Jace's eyes

traveled down her body and back up again and there was something in his eyes that made Clary's cheeks warm.

"Those look comfortable." he said, as if reading her mind. She laughed nervously and led him into the kitchen where

she opened the fridge to get drinks.

"What do you want to drink? Coke? Sprite? Green Tea Gingerale?" she asked, shoving food out of the way to get to

the cans of pop.

"I'll have gingerale, thanks." she pulled out two cans and handed one to him. But when she took her hand away he

didn't have a good grip on the can and it fell to the floor. It broke open and started fizzing. Jace looked up at her, an

apology on his lips, but he was interrupted when she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she nearly fell

again when she reached for the paper towel. She crouched down to wipe up the pop and he joined her on the

kitchen floor also laughing, and helped to mop up the spill. When it was clean they both got up and Clary realized

just how close they were. Jace looked down at her, his eyes sparkling. She could feel his breath on her face, warm

and smelling of mint. They stood there silent, green looking into gold. Her gaze travelled to his lips and her

breathing speed up as he slowly leaned down. His lips were almost on hers when the front door opened, and they

quickly jumped apart.

"Clary? You home sweetie?" Clary's mother Jocelyn called.

"Yeah mom, I'm in the kitchen with a friend, he's here to do a project." said Clary, her voice slightly unsteady. Her

mother walked into the kitchen and smiled at Jace.

"I'm Jocelyn, Clary's mother, it's a pleasure to meet you." she said.

"The same to you Ms. Fray." Jace smiled back warmly and Clary marveled at how calm he was. He stepped forward

and shook Jocelyn's hand. Clary explained the project to her mother, who told them to take as long as they needed.

She walked off, probably to her room to read.

"We can work in the living room, there's popcorn in there." said Clary, still too flustered to look Jace in the eye. He

nodded and followed her to the couch. They sat down and Jace pulled out a notebook from his messenger bag. He

started asking Clary basic questions and she was relieved to find that is wasn't awkward.

"So if you don't mind me asking, where's your dad?" Clary took a deep breath before answering.

"My dad walked out on us when I was ten. My younger brother was only two. He and my mom had been fighting a

lot, about money, about my brother and I, about a lot of things. It seemed like they were yelling more than they

weren't. I would cry a lot and that always hurt my mom. My dad started drinking and it got worse. He would come

home late and yell even louder than the night before. He never hit my mom or us, but he was scary when he was

drunk. Eventually my mom told him that he had to leave or she was going to call the police. So he left. I haven't

heard from him since. My mom struggled at first, but she's a really talented artist and she was discovered by a big

art collector with tons of connections. Her art started selling like crazy and things got better. She's dating someone

now, a really nice guy named Luke. And I'm happy for her. That's pretty much it." Jace was silent for a while, just

looking at Clary. He looked like he wanted to say something and even opened his mouth, but then closed it again.

"I'm sorry." he finally said, reaching out to touch her hand. Clary stared at his hand, her skin tingling, until he

removed it. She immediately missed the contact.

"Hey it's okay, it was a long time ago. Seven years. I'm good. Lets watch something on tv okay? No more serious

stuff."

"Sounds good." he answered with a smile. Clary turned on the tv and they both agreed to watch Iron Man, which

had just started on some random channel. They had both seen it before and so they talked throughout the movie.

They had a lot in common and Clary couldn't help liking him more and more as she learned about his talents,

hobbies and habbits. She noticed that they had both been slowly moving and had ended up closer to each other.

Feeling bold, Clary reached out her hand and intertwined her fingers with his. He looked up at her and smiled,

squeezing her hand gently. They stayed like that for the rest of the movie, Jace's thumb occasionally brushing softly

back and forth against hers. The movie finished and he pulled his hand away. Clary suddenly worried that what had

happened in the kitchen was just a figment of her imagination and that she was crazy for liking him and for thinking

he would like her back. But he just got up and stood there smiling at her.

"I hate to say it, but I have to get home, my dad will start to worry." he said. Clary gave him a small smile and got

up too. She walked him to the door and waited for him to say something.

"Clary...I uh. I really want to ask you something but I don't know if I should." she couldn't help but think he was

adorable when he was unsure like that.

"Just ask." she replied, again feeling bold.

"I know I'm new here and that there's probably a hundred other boys at school pining after you, but I was

wondering if you would maybe like to uh...to go out with me." he looked down when he was finished, waiting for her

reply.

"I'd love to." she said, a smile on her face, stretching from ear to ear. Jace raised his hand and tentatively brought it

to her cheek. He leaned down slowly and she held her breath, waiting. His lips met hers and pressed down gently

and sweetly. He pulled away and smiled down at her.

"Goodnight Clary." he said, his voice low.

"Goodnight Jace."

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. I already have the date scene mostly written so I might even update tonight. **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm really really happy with this chapter, it's all cute and you know...fluffy. I hope you like it too. Reviews are always appreciated! Sorry for any typos, I wrote this pretty quickly**

**disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments or Doctor Who.**

Clary found herself taking more time than usual to get ready the next morning, and as much as she tried to tell herself it had nothing to do with Jace, she couldn't deny that it did. She gave up on her hair after attempting to tame her curls and eventually settled on wearing a black top with a lace back over a black cami, with jeans and her combat boots. She applied a thin layer of eyeliner and mascara, her clear, pale skin required no concealer or foundation. She left the house early, even though it only meant waiting at the bus stop longer than usual. Her mother had asked her about Jace after he had left but Clary simply smiled and walked upstairs, leaving a confused Jocelyn to puzzle over her daughter's odd behavior Clary got to school and went to her locker as usual, then slowly started walking to her first period class. She was suddenly nervous that Jace had changed his mind overnight, that he wouldn't want anything to do with her, but when she walked into the class, he looked up and smiled, a shy, affectionate smile that melted Clary's heart. She walked to the back of the class and took her seat.

He leaned down and said quietly in her ear, "Hi." Clary giggled and Jace in turn chuckled.

"Why hello there. How are you?" she replied, still giggling slightly.

"Better now. I uh...I had a really good time last night. Oh god did that sound as bad as I think it sounded? I meant...you know...I just...uh..." to save him from his embarrassment, Clary reached up and kissed him on the cheek, silencing his rambling. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her but was interrupted by the teacher walking into the classroom. Clary giggled again, and Jace decided he loved the sound of her laugh. The period was full of shy glances and hand holding. When the bell rang, Jace picked up Clary's bag along with his own and carried it to their next class. At lunch Izzy noticed the change between her best friend and the new boy, and sent questioning looks towards Clary who mouthed that she would tell her about it in art. Simon of course was oblivious, but Clary was glad to see that he seemed to be getting along well with Jace. Lunch finished and Clary said goodbye to Jace and Simon, heading to art with Isabelle. Before they had even walked into the room Izzy started bombarding Clary with questions. She answered them all, not afraid to share her feelings with Izzy, who was extremely happy for her red-headed friend. Clary spent the rest of the class working on her painting, but her mind was elsewhere. She practically ran to her last class, getting there before anyone else. Soon after, Jace walked in, a grin on his face, and he made his way to his seat beside Clary. He was suspiciously silent the whole class, putting a finger to his lips and smiling every time Clary tried to talk to him. When the bell rang he gently grabbed her wrist, keeping her in her seat. When the class was empty he moved closer to her and whispered in her ear.

"I'll pick you up at 7:00 tonight." Then he leaned in and softly brushed his lips against her cheek, a whisper, a promise of more to come.

As Clary walked home, still trying to process how she could be lucky enough for something so..._magical, _her mind supplied, to happen to her. That's when she started having doubts. What if he was just looking for something physical? What if she wasn't really worth anything to him? This had to be too good to be true, there had to be some catch. She wondered and worried as the clock seemed to race and drag all at the same time, giving her too much time to over think everything and yet, by 6:50, she still hadn't made sense of any of her thoughts. True to his word, he was there at 7:00 sharp, looking painfully handsome in a green sweater that made his eyes stand out, and a black leather jacket that looked soft and worn.

Like a knight from a fairy tale, he bowed and said "Will you be so gracious as to accompany me this evening M'lady?" If anyone else had said those words to Clary, she would have burst out laughing, but as Jace looked at her, his face honest and sincere, all she could do was beam like an idiot, all of her worries temporarily forgotten as she got lost in his gaze. He took her arm and led her to his car, holding open the door and making sure Clary was comfortable before crossing to the driver's side.

"So where are you taking me?" she asked, some of her doubts creeping back as the initial buzz of seeing him again wore off.

"Well, if I told you, I'd have to kill you, and I can't hurt someone with a face as pretty as yours now can I?" Jace said with a wink, which along with his compliment, made Clary's insides flutter. As they drove toward the mystery location she couldn't help but notice again that the silence between them wasn't awkward, it was nice, almost peaceful. Clary thought about all the places he could take her. The movies, the park, the museum. So she was surprised when they pulled up in front of the flower gardens just outside of town, and even more surprised when he pulled a picnic basket out of the backseat. Always the gentleman, Jace helped her out of her seat and took her hand as they walked towards the entrance. A tingle, starting in her fingertips, worked its way up her arm until her whole body felt light as air. They walked under the stone archway, spiralled with ivy. Thunder rumbled off in the distance, but Jace reassured her it was far off and probably wouldn't reach them. Clary nodded and they continued walking. She felt his eyes on her and tentatively looked at him out of the corner of her eye. His gaze travelled over her worn Doctor Who t-shirt, her black jeans and her black Chucks, the clothes she had thrown on after school without thought, and forgotten to change out of, and she suddenly felt horribly under-dressed.

"You look perfect." he said, and Clary couldn't help but sigh in relief. They sat down in the middle of the garden, surrounded by the flowers that had just started blooming, on a soft flannel blanket. He pulled out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and she giggled when she saw they had been cut with cookie cutters shaped like small people. When a bottle of sparkling apple cider, orange slices, and two glasses followed Clary couldn't stop smiling at how perfect it all was. As they ate, they talked about everything from music to math. It seemed so effortless, just being with him and not worrying about anything. But as the sun slowly moved lower in the sky, she once again started to worry that this was too good to be true.

So, instead of skating around the edges of the problem, she said, "Why me? I mean, I'm not beautiful, or incredibly funny. I'm sarcastic, dorky, and I read too many books for my own good."

He sighed, almost in frustration and said, "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Every time I look into your eyes I never want to look away, I'd be content to just stay there forever. You seem to breathe life into everyone you talk to and you're so sweet and kind and good that I can't help but want to be around you. Every word that comes out of your mouth makes me sigh because your voice makes everything better. I hardly know you, but all I want to do is learn everything about you." He looked down, apparently embarrassed by his words. Clary tried to think of something to say to make him understand how much what he had just said meant to her, and she could only think of one thing. The truth.

"I feel the same way," she said slowly, making sure he understood each word she said. "I don't know what it is about you that draws me in, but I can't think or talk or even function when I'm around you. I just...I don't know. I just really like you."

She looked him straight in the eye, hoping he understood just how serious she was, just how much she meant everything she had said. Jace slowly raised his hand and placed it lightly on Clary's cheek, slowly moving his thumb across her pale skin, sending shivers across her every fibre. she sighed and leaned into his hand, closing her eyes, perfectly content to stay in this moment forever. She opened my eyes to find him right in front of me. She gasped at the beauty of his stunning golden eyes. Then, almost without warning, his mouth crushed hers. His lips, so soft and full moved against hers, full of urgency and desire. His hands tangled in her bright red hair as she ran her hands along his chest and shoulders. As if their date was part of some cheesy romantic movie, it started raining, the warm water running through the spaces between them, into their just open mouths. He let out a small moan as she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull him closer still. His lips travelled across her jaw and down her neck, as he kneaded her back, molding her ever closer to him. When the kiss ended they were both panting, his arms still tight around her. His lips were red and his eyes smouldering as the rain ran down his face. Clary had never seen a more beautiful sight.

Jace leaned in again, but when his lips met hers it was sweet and gentle, without the desperation that had been in his first kiss. His lips tasted like oranges and sparkling cider. He cupped her face and whispered her name against her lips. Without even thinking about it, Clary reached out and tentatively ran the tip of her tongue along his bottom lip. He groaned low in the back of his throat and pulled her tight against him. He deepened the kiss, and as the rain slowed, their breathing quickened. Every cell in her body was electrified, and she realized she was trembling from wanting him so bad. His hand ran slowly up her leg to her hip and without warning, he pulled her so that she was sitting on his lap. She traced the features off his face, his jaw and forehead, his nose and lips. She ran my fingers along his cheeks and brushed slow, glancing butterfly light kisses along his lips. As she wrapped my arms back around his neck Clary saw her watch and realized what time it was. Startled by how quickly time had passed she stumbled to her feet. Suddenly awkward she ducked her face, hiding behind her curls as he slowly stood up.

"Was that..too forward? I'm sorry if I did something wrong." He said quietly, as if speaking to a skittish kitten he didn't want to startle. She could feel the flame of her blush spreading up her neck and across her face as she slowly raised her head to look at him.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. That was...um wow...that was..um.." Clary couldn't form a coherent sentence and her tongue felt heavy as she tried to speak through the haze that his kiss had created in her mind.

He suddenly doubled over, and she started forward, but then she realized he was laughing. His laugh just made her blush all over again. It was a sound she could listen to forever, deep and happy and she realized he wasn't laughing at her, there was no mockery in his tone, only pure joy and Clary soon found myself laughing as well. When they finally contained their laughter Jace looked at her silently, a gorgeous, fey-like grin spreading over his features, turning her insides to jelly at the glint of his white, straight teeth.

His grin faded slightly, morphing into a small smile that made her heart flutter inside her chest. He walked towards her slowly, again as if he was afraid of frightening her. She looked up into his face as he stopped in front of her, his hand moving to rest lightly on her waist, the heat of his hand burning through her wet shirt.

"I really want to do that again." He whispered, as if he could shatter the moment by speaking too loudly.

"Well then get down here" she whispered in reply, suddenly feeling bold.

He was more than happy to comply, his mouth coming down on hers with a spark she felt all the way in her toes. She melted against him, loving the feeling of his hard chest pressing against her soft curves as he moved his hands around her back.

Minutes later, she realized there was in fact an outside world and broke away. They sat down again but this time it was different. It seemed as if he was unable to stay still, to not be touching her. He always seemed to be holding her hand, stroking her knee or playing with her hair. They kept talking until the light had faded to a golden haze.

"I feel horrible for saying this, but I need to get home." she said, as he traced the lines on her palm, making her shiver.

"I know," He replied, "but I don't want to give you up. Not now, not ever." He raised his eyes to look at me, as if making sure I understood what he was saying.

"Well...you don't have to. Give me up I mean. This...I don't want this to be over, some fantasy that lasted for five seconds, but dissolves as soon as we walk through the school doors." she said, almost afraid for his answer.

"I would never be able to bring myself to forget this. I'm too selfish to ever let this end, I want you to be mine too much. Do you...will you be mine?" He asked, his face alight with expectation and excitement.

"I'm already yours." she replied, and in return, was gifted with another of his wide, sunny grins and a soft touch of his lips on hers

They walked back to the car, again hand in hand, although it was so different from the first time. On the way back he was silent, but she wasn't worried, he simply smiled at the road and every once in a while turned to look at Clary, his grin widening further. She took the chance to study his profile, her hand itching to draw him, although she knew she'd never be able to do his features justice. Her eyes travelled over his strong forehead and gorgeous green eyes, moving lower as she took in his proud nose. She blushed when she looked at his full mouth, the perfectly shaped cupid's bow, remembering how his lips had felt, pressed against her own, warm and gentle.

When they reached her house she hesitated, not sure whether she should get out or wait for him to do something. She turned to look at him and found that he was staring straight at her, his eyes almost glowing. He slowly leaned forward and pressed his mouth against hers, a sweet, gentle kiss. A goodbye kiss.

"I don't want to say goodbye." He murmured, his lips still touching hers.

"I don't either. I never want to say goodbye" she said, before deepening the kiss.

He responded with equal fervor groaning when she parted her lips slightly. His fingers tangled in her hair again as she ran her hands over his chest. She pulled away, panting and giggled as he tried to lean in again. she gently pushed him away and opened the car door, almost falling. That of course invited laughter from inside the car and a resulting blush spreading across her face. She waved goodbye and walked inside, grinning the whole way.

**TAAADAAAAAA. I hope you liked it! It's my favorite chapter so far. There will be drama soon though, but for now, lets all just bask in the Clace fluff. ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**AAHHHHHH PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I AM SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER I JUST HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INSPIRATION TO WRITE AND IT WAS ALL CRAP AND BLEH. But I promise to try to update more often now. It probably won't be every day, like the first four chapters were, because I have a really heavy semester at school starting tomorrow, but I do promise to update as often as I possibly can. I know this chapter is small, it's mostly a filler chapter. Again, so sorry, but I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or concepts from The Mortal Instruments, they are owned by the amazing Cassandra** Clare.

Clary woke with a start, to the noise of clanging coming from the kitchen downstairs. She glanced at the clock and her heart skipped a beat when she read 8:30, but she smiled as she realized it was Saturday. She flopped back onto her pillows and allowed the memories from last night to flood her brain. She flushed as she remembered the taste of Jace's lips and the texture of his hair. She found herself rubbing her mouth with her fingers and realized that her lips were larger than usual. She giggled, giddy with the relief that it wasn't all some elaborate dream. He really had said those things the night before. Clary was pulled from her thoughts by a buzzing from her bedside table. Her insides melted when she saw the text was from Jace.

"Good morning beautiful, I hope your dreams were sweet," it read.

Clary's thumbs shook with delight as she typed a reply and pulled herself out of bed.

"They couldn't have been sweeter, how did you sleep?"

She walked to the closet and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a tank top to watch tv in. As she yanked a comb through her knotted curls her phone buzzed again and she quickly grabbed it and read Jace's reply.

"I slept better than I have in long time."

Clary again found herself smiling like a lunatic, practically jumping up and down. She pulled her hair into a messy bun and went downstairs, hesitant to enter the kitchen, fearful as to what had caused the commotion that had woken her. She took in the scene with wide, surprised eyes. Her mother was standing with her back turned, hunched over a cook book and coated in what looked like a mixture of flour and eggs. It looked as if she was attempting to stir whatever concoction she had created in the metal bowl in front of her, but little bits of batter went flying as she jerkily maneuvered the whisk in her hand. Unable to contain herself, Clary burst into laughter and her mother turned around, startled by the sudden noise. Jocelyn looked around at the mess she had created and started to laugh as well. When their laughter had faded to giggles, Jocelyn tried to explain.

"I was trying to be more...maternal. I feel bad because I never cook anything from scratch for you two, although it's probably saved you from imminent food poisoning on multiple occasions..."

Clary, didn't mind, she had always loved to cook so her mother's lack of skills never bothered her.

"Don't worry about it mom, you're very maternal." she said with a wink "But I am curious as to what that...mixture...is supposed to be."

Her mother blushed before answering, "pancakes..."

The two looked at each other and again started to laugh. Clary volunteered to clean the kitchen while her mother went to go de-batter herself. When Clary was finished cleaning she headed into the living room and plopped on the couch. She turned on the tv, settling on some silly cartoon and snuggled into a soft blanket she pulled off the back of the couch. Her eyes began to flutter closed but flew open when she felt her phone buzz. She quickly pulled it out and read Jace's text, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. He wanted to see her tonight, to take her for dinner at the local diner and she had to admit, she was just as eager to be around him again. She enthusiastically agreed and imagined his chuckle as he read her reply. Of course her mind then wandered to what she was going to wear and her mind immediately provided the answer to her question in the form of a name. Izzy.

**I know it's super super short but I wanted to get something posted. I hope you liked it. Also I'm really undecided, I don't know if I want to keep this story light and fluffy, or to add drama, I have ideas for both, I just don't know which direction I should choose. Please, if you guys have any recommendations, let me know. Also, reviews are always appreciated, I love to know what you guys think. Thanks for reading. **


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter isn't outrageously long or important, I just want the relationship to develop more before I add drama. I want to make Jace and Clary more sarcastic, but I want their jokes to come naturally as they become more and more comfortable with each other. The next chapter will have a lot of dialogue because Clary and Jace will start working on their project, so I decided to keep this one light and cute. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: All rights for characters and concepts from The Mortal Instruments belong to Cassandra Clare.**

Clary immediately regretted her decision when her best friend come charging through the door, bags upon bags of clothing, makeup and accessories held on her arms and shoulders. Izzy made her way to Clary's bedroom and through to the adjoining bathroom. She plugged in the curling iron and went to setting out things for Clary to try on. After about fifteen different outfits they finally agreed on a green chiffon shirt tucked into a black skirt at the waist, with black lace tights and black leather oxfords. Izzy carefully curled Clary's bright hair, making sure each ringlet was perfect. When she had finished, she turned the small girl away from the mirror and started on her makeup. She applied a some sort of liquid that made Clary's face shimmer slightly. She used deep green, black and grey eyeshadow to create a smoky effect. She added blush to the pale girls cheeks as well as reddish lip tint. When Clary turned around to look at herself, she gasped. Her eyes were bright and exotic, emerald green peeping from underneath her seemingly hooded eyelids. Her skin glowed and shone in all the right places, her jaw and cheekbones accentuated perfectly. Her lips looked full and inviting, and her crimson hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her face, and she knew it would look even brighter against the green of her shirt. She grinned at Izzy over her shoulder and went to get dressed. The two girls gossiped about trivial things, Clary trying to keep her mind off of how nervous she was and Izzy doing her best to help distract her friend. Jace had texted her earlier, confirming that he could pick her up at 7:00. It was nearing 6:50 and Clary's stomach was churning. She had brushed her teeth three times and was now chewing mint gum in an attempt to keep her mind off the time and to make sure her breath smelled as pleasant as possible. She couldn't shake a feeling of dread, she wanted so badly for whatever she had with Jace to continue and she was terrified that it wouldn't. At 7:03 the doorbell rang and Clary sprang to her feet, rushing to open the door. When she neared the entryway she slowed, not wanting a repeat of the first time he had come to her door. Her first glimpse of him that day took her breath away, he looked incredible in a black button up shirt and dark jeans, making his eyes and hair look as if they were glowing. Her breath left her lungs in a whoosh as he spoke.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

With that, Clary's knees shook a little and Izzy giggled as she noticed it from where she was standing.

"I should probably leave you two to your date, but Clary, I'm expecting a full report afterwards alright?" said Izzy as she gathered her mass amount of bags and lugged them to get car. Jace smiled and offered his elbow, always the gentleman. Clary looped her arm through his and followed him to his car.

* * *

The local diner looked warm and inviting from the parking lot, the sound of laughing teenagers and the clang of forks on plates filled the air, and the smell of fries and burgers wafted through the open doors. The waitress at the door led Clary and Jace to their seats. A second waitress came to ask for their drinks and then left the two alone. Not sure of what to say, Clary looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers this way and that.

"What's your favorite song to listen to when your sad?" he asked, and she looked up in surprise.

"Um..Fairytale Lullaby, by Bombay Bicycle Club. It's so soft and pretty, it always makes me feel better." she replied

"And your favorite comfort food?"

"Macaroni and cheese. Or mashed potatoes. Where are all these questions coming from?"

He grinned before answering, "I told you I wanted to know everything about you, and this is how I plan to find out."

She smiled at him, again surprised by how sweet he was, despite his quiet, dark demeanor. The waitress returned with their drinks and Jace continued with his questions. When she asked him questions he told her that she could learn all his secrets another night, that tonight, he wanted to know about her. He asked her everything he could think of. Easier things like her favorite book (Jane Eyre), her favorite time of year (fall), her favorite flavor (mint), and the place she'd want to live if she could choose (England or New York). As well as deeper things, like the first thing she noticed about a person (hands and eyes) and her favorite thing about herself (her ability to draw). He made her think, made her laugh and made her feel comfortable. Jace made her feel like the most important person in the entire diner, just by looking at her.

* * *

"I really don't want this night to end"

He said, as the walke through the parking lot, bringing to Clary's mind the kiss they had shared after their first date.

"Well, there's a park just around the corner, we could go for a walk.." she replied, gesturing off to the right.

"Perfect." he ran off in the direction she had indicated, and she had no choice but to follow, though she wasn't complaining. She was out of breath by the time he slowed, and sank down onto the bench he had sat on. He looked down at her and grinned, his cheeks red and his hair mussed. Unable to contain herself, Clary reached up and pulled him down to her, their lips meeting softly. Jace kissed her like she was a porcelain doll and she reveled in the taste and smell of him, like mint and spice and something undeniably Jace. As their lips moved and their breath mingled, on that bench in the middle of the park, Clary couldn't think of any place she'd rather be.

**Reviews are always appreciated, thank you for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am sooooooo sorry I haven't updated in the past couple of days. It's been super hectic at school, I started my new semester and I have homework every night. I also end up staying at school until 5:30 every day because I'm in a few after school activities that we're meeting for, ****_every day._**** So basically I never get a chance to write and I really want any chapter I post to be something I put a lot of effort into. I'm really sorry also that this will seem like an update. I don't mean to tease you, I just don't want you to think I'm abandoning this story. This weekend is super long for me, four days, so I promise I'll update by monday the latest. I'm sorry that's so far away, but I really want to post a long chapter with a lot of progression with Clary and Jace's relationship so that I can slowly introduce the drama as we get the know the characters better and they get to know each other better. Thank you all for reading, I hope you stick around. **


	8. Chapter 8

**I know it's short, I'm super sorry, but it took more time to do my homework than I thought it would and I didn't have time to write. I also know that I promised that they'd start working on their project, but I don't want to do that half-ass. So I might take the time to slowly work on a long chapter that will have a lot of plot and information. This chapter gives a little bit of insight into Jace's life, I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Mortal Instruments series, those rights go to Cassandra Clare.**

As Clary shut and locked the front door behind her she couldn't help but sigh contentedly. Her mind replayed the events of the evening and a small smile lifted the corners of her lips. She couldn't believe she had finally found someone who made her feel special. Clary had always felt small and forgettable, but Jace made her feel important, wanted. She walked up the stairs, pulling off her shoes as she entered her room. She grabbed an oversized sweater and boy shorts and went to the bathroom to shower. As she combed her hair out afterwards she let herself get lost in fantasies of Jace. She had spaced out so completely that she jumped and yelped at the sudden noise coming from her window. She spun around and her surprised eyes met a pair of gold orbs, the laughter in them obvious. He grinned at her, the corners of his mouth disappearing. Clary noticed a small chip on one of his teeth and found that if anything, it made him even more handsome. She realized she was staring like an idiot and quickly opened the window.

"What are you doing here?!" she hissed, barely holding back her own smile. He climbed over the window sill, surprising Clary with his agility and she wondered silently how he had gotten to her window.

"I don't know what it is but I can hardly stand to be away from you. I thought maybe we could...work on the project. Or something like that."

Clary paused, considering the possible consequences, also known as the wrath of her mother, and decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Okay, you can stay. But we're just working on the project. Nothing else."

"Awwww but I wanted you to paint my nails!" he mock-whined, inducing a tiny giggle from Clary.

"Alright mister, get your butt over here and we'll start. Since you got to ask me tons of questions at the diner, can I have my turn now?"

Jace's face fell, his eyes seemed wary and Clary wondered if she had said something wrong. His features quickly settled back into their usual easy smile and she wondered if she had imagined it.

"I suppose it's to be expected that you'd want to know all about this," he gestured up and down his body, "after all, I'm practically a walking god."

"Watch it," Clary replied, "or I'll throw your butt back out the window."

He smiled, walking over to the bed and flopping down on his back. He propped himself up with his elbows and looked around, his gaze lingering on the artwork hung on the walls and the guitar in the corner. He smiled and got back up, picking the instrument up and holding it in what could only be described as a loving manner.

"Do you play?" he asked, looking up at her.

"I'm learning. I have a book and I'm attempting to teach myself." she replied, smiling at him.

"I could always teach you. If you wanted."

"I'd love that." she replied, her smile widening.

"Alright, come here." he said, gesturing to the bed beside him. She sat next to him and he handed her the guitar, loving how small and delicate she looked with it in her lap. He moved behind her and guided her fingers over the frets and strings, showing her simple chords. She loved the feel of his warm chest against her back, and of his arms around her. After he decided that she was well on her way to becoming a music genius, he allowed her to give the guitar back to him. He settled himself more comfortably, although he admitted to himself that he missed having her so close. His fingers flew over the strings, creating a simple, sweet melody. Clary lay back and she closed her eyes, listening to him play. Then he started to sing. His voice was beautiful, soft and slightly husky. He sang quietly, and she had couldn't make out the lyrics. She started to ask him what he was singing but she stopped when she heard his voice break slightly. Clary realized just how much emotion Jace was showing her and she felt a deep sense of satisfaction, knowing he was willing to show this side of himself. She let herself slowly relax, listening to the voice of a boy she realized was much more complex than she had ever imagined. She longed to know everything about him but she knew he would tell her when the time was right. Just as she was falling asleep, she felt a soft, warm pressure against her forehead and heard a soft whisper.

"Goodnight Clary."

**I really hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are always appreciated. Thanks for reading. xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Guys I'm really sorry this took so long, I feel terrible but I haven't had time to write, school has been driving me crazy. :s**

**Someone said that my description of Jace sounded like Tate from American Horror Story, which made me smile because he did kind of inspire my version of Jace, just a little. c:**

* * *

That night Clary slept better than she had in a while. She turned over and smiled when she found a folded piece of paper on her bedside table. She snatched it up and read the note:

_You're beautiful when you sleep. I hope the morning finds you well rested. I'll pick you up today at 3:00, I'm not taking no for an answer. See you then Red. -Jace_

His writing was beautiful, the letters elegant yet masculine and Clary couldn't help but love that he called her Red. She glanced at the clock and with a groan decided it was time to get up. She went downstairs and found her brother on the couch watching cartoons. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and leaned against the counter with her breakfast. She could hear her mother moving around in her studio and quickly scribbled a note about her plans that afternoon so she wouldn't interrupt her mom. She sank down on the couch next to her brother and after a couple of hours of mind numbing entertainment she went upstairs to shower.

After her shower, Clary pulled her hair back into a French braid, a few loose strands curling around her face. She pulled on a pair of jeans, a collared t-shirt and a wool sweater, hoping she didn't look too casual. She applied a small amount of mascara and blush and shoved her favorite mint lip balm in her purse. She pulled on a pair of black leather boots and brushed her teeth, then headed downstairs to wait for Jace.

Just as he'd promised, he was there at 3:00 looking painfully handsome in blue jeans and a tan wool sweater. She closed the door behind her, her brother still a zombie on the couch. She smiled at the golden boy in front of her and reached up to brush her lips against his. He took her hand and led her to the car. They drove silently to the same park they had sat in a few nights before and started walking. Clary turned to Jace and asked, "So you haven't told me much about your family, I want to know more about you."

Jace looked uncomfortable and shrugged the question off, making his way towards a bench. He sat down and Clary couldn't help but think she had done something to upset him. She joined him on the bench and sat quietly, her hands curled up in her lap and her head down.

"My mom died when I was fourteen."

Clary was startled by his blunt answer and looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"She was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was nine and I watched her slowly sink lower and lower, her health deteriorating to the point where my dad had to hire someone to come take care of her full time. He wanted to do it himself but he had to work to support us and he didn't know the first thing about medicine. It hurt so much to see my mom dying and my dad becoming more depressed. He loved her so much. When she died it changed him. He stays in the house a lot of the time, distracting himself with work. He's distant and I miss the man he used to be."

Jace took a shuddering breath and met Clary's eyes. The pain on his face was so obvious that it broke her heart. She felt as if there was something he was still hiding but she knew better than to push. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, smoothing the unruly waves away from his face. Clary's breath caught when she realized there were tears silently rolling down his cheeks. She placed soft kisses along his jaw and eyelids and murmured sweet nothings to him until he calmed down. He wrapped his arms around her and gathered her to him, her face settling in the crook of his neck. They stayed like that, Jace comforted by Clary's warm breath against his neck, a steady rhythm that let him know he wasn't alone.

**I know it isn't much, but it was super important that Jace tell Clary about his past. I'm still working out where this story will go but I promise I will keep it going. Thanks for reading. x**


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